For the first time in the history of independent Turkmenistan, the president is not the most powerful person in the country. Serdar Berdymukhammedov lost many of his powers as president when the Turkmen parliament passed amendments to its constitution on January 21. The head of the government in Turkmenistan now is the chairman of the People’s Council, Serdar’s father, former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss what just happened in Turkmenistan, and why, are Luca Anceschi, professor of Central Asian Studies at Glasgow University and author of the book Turkmenistan's Foreign Policy: Positive Neutrality And The Consolidation Of The Turkmen Regime; and Farruh Yusupov, the head of RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk.